Soundtrack released by Intrada and Walt Disney Records.

The blockbuster Disney film Oz: The Great and Powerful personifies the heyday of Hollywood blockbustery with every element — special effects, costumes, camera angles, performances.  The musical score is no different.  For more on the film, check out this film review.  For more on the score, read on.

Composer Danny Elfman reteams with director Sam Raimi for the first time since their alleged falling out on Spider-Man 3.  Rumor has it while editing that film, Raimi fell in love with the temp score, which was comprised of Elfman themes and motifs from the duo’s two previous Spidey flicks.  Temp scores are a normal process practiced throughout the industry.  This time, however, it was followed by abnormal behavior in the form of Raimi wanting Elfman to mimic himself for the new score.  Elfman, a versatile musician who enjoys stretching established themes in new directions à la John Williams, had no interest in merely being a Xerox machine.  So instead he walked off the picture citing the ever-popular “creative differences” excuse.  Raimi then enlisted composer Christopher Young to score Spider-Man 3 (with Elfman’s themes), as well as Drag Me To Hell.  But no more.  Raimi and Elfman have patched things up on some level (ka-ching!) and resumed their collaboration on the Oz score, which turns out to be as great and powerful as the film itself.

Triptych cover art for soundtrack album.

Mercifully the movie and score downplay the song and dance proclivity of The Wizard of Oz (and mercifully Walt Disney Records left Mariah Carey’s “Almost Home” off the soundtrack).  The only earful here is when Oscar “Oz” Diggs (James Franco) stops Munchkins in mid-song (track #13 – “The Munchkin Welcome Song”), citing that singing is no way to win a war against witches.  From a view born of story sense and safety concerns (i.e. my ears would bleed upon hearing another high-pitched note), I am grateful.  What remains is a symphony perfectly suited within film context but also easy to listen to on its own — the sure sign of any successful score.  I love the Jaws theme as much as any film buff, but only in context since it doesn’t exactly blend peacefully in the background when I’m trying to write (which is when I listen to most of my soundtracks).

The Oz score shifts effortlessly from whimsy (track #15 – “The Bubble Voyage”) to dread (track #20 — “A Threat”) and back again as story needs dictate.  Track #16 (“Great Expectations/The Apple”) does all this in one sweeping orchestral piece.

Of particularly high merit are the delicate emotional chords of Oscar’s character arc from con man to wizard hero.  Luckily the emotional range missing from Franco’s performance is conveyed in the nuance of Elfman’s leitmotif.  This would be even better had Franco’s acting skills matched the melodies in quality but, to quote comedian Steven Wright, “you can’t have everything… where would you put it?”  In this case, I’d put it in my CD player (or iTunes library) to accompany my writing sessions, such as I’m doing right now.